Ficus grouping

[bonsai barry]

I received this ficus as a birthday gift a couple of month ago. The tree placement is not what I wished it were. I see two choices
1) Separating all three trees and regrouping
2) Keep the two close tree together but turn them to both trunks are fully visible, angling the smaller tree down about 10 degrees, and moving the third tree in closer to the other two.

I don't know when these trees were repotted last but it looks like its about time.

 

[Anonymous User]

Widanda?



Will

 

[cbobgo]

option 3 - take a bunch of cuttings from these trees, and when they are growing nicely add them in, making it a forest with 3 main trees and like 5-9 smaller ones.

- bob

 

[Chris Johnston]

Widanda?



Will

??? Did you mean Wiandi?

 

[agraham]

I don't think they are contorted enough to be widanda or wiandi.My guess would be "too little".

Either way,this particular arrangement of them doesn't do much for me.I think I'd make a nice little 3 tree clump form them by moving them much closer together.

andy

 

[Anonymous User]

I don't think they are contorted enough to be widanda or wiandi.My guess would be "too little".

Either way,this particular arrangement of them doesn't do much for me.I think I'd make a nice little 3 tree clump form them by moving them much closer together.

andy

You could be right on the species. I agree that without other trees to add, moving them together would make a nice little group.


Will

 

[John Hill]

Hi Jeff,
I don't know who gave you this for a birthday gift but that was a very nice thought. I like Bob's idea with the cuttings but I am thinking the same as Andy's idea. This would be the quickest solution until you get some cuttings going if you would happen to go that route. If you go with the cuttings this would give you a #1 focal point to start with.
I did a three tree (Sankan) to give an idea.

A Friend in bonsai
John

 

[Anonymous User]

John,

You have really gotten good at those virts! Great idea, I personally would round out and separately define the three foliage masses, more like a mature deciduous tree, but that may be a matter of taste.


Will

 

[irene_b]

Hmm, adds nothing to the conversation at hand and only is meant to incite....nothing new from you, hey Chris?

I take it the new avatar of the jackass riding a horse backward is another attempt to incite by directly referring to my signature and indirectly calling me a jackass.

Chris I will continue to call you on this nonsense whenever you post it, your shallow attempts to discredit me and disrupt the forum are pointless. Be it jealousy, envy, whatever, it does not become you.

Incidentally, Andy seemed intelligent enough to understand my obviously misspelled word, I am surprised you were not.


Will

You have problems with Avatars?
Irene

 

[John Hill]

John,

You have really gotten good at those virts! Great idea, I personally would round out and separately define the three foliage masses, more like a mature deciduous tree, but that may be a matter of taste.


Will

Amazing what boredom will do ;-) didn't stick anything in the cool room to work on this year. Damm!
I agree Will about separating the trees foliage but this is a qucik virt. and it is really hard to do 2D ;-)
This will give Jeff an idea on what he is looking for. Plus ficus is tuff to keep in order also in the experiences I have had with them.

Thanks Will

A Friend in bonsai
John

 

[bonsai barry]

Wow! Other than a short digression from a couple of our talented members, this thread has been rewarding. Thank you to everyone that contributed comments and especially to John for the virtual. Your virt is very similar to what I had in mind, but I hadn't considered the idea of the cuttings, that seems to have a lot of merit. How long would the cuttings take to be big enough to be credible? Thanks again to all.

By the way, I don't know the species. When my wife bought she said the seller called it a "Little Lucy" so I'm thinking a "too little."

 

[Chris Johnston]

I was honestly just trying to make sure there wasn't a new proprietary variety out there that I was unaware of. Wiandi and Rianne I have heard of.

Barry, are these branches very brittle, or is that Rianne that I am thinking of?

 

[Anonymous User]

You have problems with Avatars?

Not anymore.

 

[bonsai barry]

Barry, are these branches very brittle, or is that Rianne that I am thinking of?

Yes, the branches are brittle and it seems like die back is a bit of a problem.

 

[Chris Johnston]

Then I believe that this is Rianne, usually used for commercial bonsai because of its naturally curvy growth habit and small leaves. Don't try to wire it, every branch will snap right off. Use the clip-and-grow method. Good luck with your tree!